AT&T Pebble Beach round two: Does anyone want to win this?

I never had Padraig Harrington or Phil Mickelson down as shy, retiring types, but what else can explain their reluctance to join proceedings at the top of the table? Of the heavyweights in this competition, it’s still down to good old Vijay Singh to growl at the leaders from three shots off the pace.

But it is a growl rather than a roar. It says something for the lack of bite to this competition so far that his putting was actually worse in round two. He now ranks 152nd for putts per round for goodness sake, and that shouldn’t be anywhere near the winner’s circle. It’s only his chart-topping iron work that is keeping him in the frame. Mind you, if he does finally twig which end of the putter is up - look out!

Come on someone, never mind partying with the celebs, show your mettle on moving day. Maybe Davis Love III is well enough recovered from his injury to launch a challenge from alongside Singh. Players have come back from seven or eight shots behind in the past to win, so even Mickelson is still in with a chance if he gathers his wits, his irons and his putter about him.

Otherwise yho you might think J B Holmes is well placed to ram home his Ryder Cup message with a rare back-to-back win, or Jason Day to confirm his credentials as the Tiger-hunter-in-waiting, although we’ve seen hot flushes from him before without the killer blow.

And it’s not so long ago (well, two seasons) that Tim Herron notched a victory. Lumpy’s another whose putter is not particularly hot, so maybe that actually makes him a solid bet in these peculiar times.